WICHITA FALLS, Texas (Feb. 23, 2021) – It wasn't just that Oklahoma Christian won a five-set thriller at Midwestern State (Texas) on Tuesday night. It was the way the Eagles did it that showed they have learned the lessons of this season.

The Eagles trailed Midwestern State by two sets and the Mustangs held a match point in the third set, but OC fought back and won 3-2 (15-25, 13-25, 26-24, 25-18, 15-13) at D.L. Ligon Coliseum in a match crucial to the Eagles' Lone Star Conference postseason hopes.

OC (3-6, 2-5 LSC) picked up seven kills and five block assists by Morgan Demuth (who had a .353 attack percentage), five kills and 11 block assists by Kelsie Schiefelbein and four kills, seven block assists, 28 assists and 11 digs from Jessica Souza as the Eagles won their second five-set match of the season in four tries. Both of those five-set wins have come on the road.

One of the five-setters they lost was at home to Midwestern State (4-3, 4-3) on Jan. 27, when the Eagles had four match points in the fifth set before losing the set 16-14. This time against the Mustangs, however, they did not blink.

OC led 13-10 in the fifth before the Mustangs scored three straight points to tie the match. But OC edged back ahead 14-13 when Midwestern State's Kaitlynn Stoker committed an attack error, then clinched the win on their first match point when Schiefelbein hammered home an assist from Souza.

"Tonight, we talked about having the predator mentality," OC coach Barry Wheeler said. "We had to stay focused on each play and not let an error distract us from the prey, which tonight was the ball. We want to attack the ball whether we are serving, passing, blocking, setting or hitting."

Midwestern State owned the first two sets, limiting the Eagles to a combined 10 kills while they committed 18 attack errors. The Mustangs jumped to a 14-9 lead in the third set and it looked like they'd make quick work of OC.

The Eagles bowed up and scored six of the next seven points and tied the set at 15-15 on an ace by Allyssa Hamlin. Midwestern State eased back ahead 23-19, but again OC responded, with two kills by Schiefelbein and block assists by Hamlin and Schiefelbein to again tie the set.

Keetyn Davis' kill gave Midwestern State a match point, but an attack error by Kaitlyn Masseth gave OC the tying point. Souza and Morgan Demuth teamed on a block to put OC ahead and a kill by Demuth gave the Eagles the set.

Midwestern State took leads of 4-0 and 7-4 in the fourth set, but with Karlee Alonzo serving, the Eagles rolled off 11 straight points to seize control and never let the Mustangs within six points the rest of the set.

With the fifth set tied 5-5, OC scored five of the next six points, taking advantage of four attack errors by the Mustangs. The Eagles never trailed again.

Defensively, Alexandra Aponte Torres (22 digs), Hamlin and Alonzo (15 digs) led OC. Lauryn Bourne had 15 kills and 21 digs for Midwestern State, while Stoker had 10 kills.

The teams will play again on Wednesday at 6 p.m.